Brake-lever circuit closer for automobile theft signals



0-. 8. LEE. -BRAKE LEVER CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR AUTOMOBILE THEFT SIGNALS,

' APPLICATION FILE D NOV. 1. 1919.

1,42 ,3 PatentedSept. 5,1922.

Ina/072502.

' which shall be set for operation, as well as Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

' UNITED STATES? ij I 1,428,380

DANA s; LEE, or STQLOUIS, MISSOURI.

BRAKE-LEVER CIRCUIT cLosER FOR AUTOMOBILE THEFT SIGNALS.

Application filed November 7, 1919. swarm. 336,334.

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANA S. Lee, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Lou s, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Lever Circuit Closers'fcr Automobile Theft Signals, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and distinctly claimed. 1

The object of my invention is to provlde an improved brakelever circuit-closer, to be used as a part of the theft-signal for automobiles, whereby the stealing of automobiles having my invention applied thereto, will in a great measure be prevented, inasmuch as annla'rm will be sounded. (or otherwise made) as soon as the would-be thief moves the brake-lever ,(or other lever of the automobile) in starting the car. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved brake-lever circuit theft-signal mechanism for automobiles,

released, by the singlemovement of the owners lock-key. a

In the drawings, 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an automobile having my invention ap plied thereto. l i y Fig. 2 is aside-elevation of a portion of thebrakelever and its sector, on an enlarged scale, having the electric" contacts in position for closing and breaking an electric circuit through the contact in the owners lock, the electrical-connections being shown diagrammatically, and

Fig. 3 is a plan-view, partly in sectlon, of the brake-lever sector arrangement for making and breaking the circuit on the alarm-bell or other alarm-device.

The numeral 1 designates the casing of the owners lock, which is provided with a common key 2, and is attached to the dash'or cowl 3 by means of common screws or bolts (not shown), so that by turning said key downwardly an electrical-contact will be made by the inner web of said key depressing (or otherwise moving) a movable-contact device 4 into contact with a fixed-contact 5 in circuit with a suitable battery 6 (or other source ofelectricity). "The current passes throughthe conducting-wires 7, two movable contacts8 carried by the brake lever sector9, the brake-lever 10, and an alarm-bell, gong,common electric-horn, or common electric-lightswhen an alarm is to be made after dark, the said alarnrdevice being designated by the numeral 11.

The casing of the owners lock 1 is connectedto said conducting wires 7 at 12, so that it is in circuit with the said parts-as shown in Fig. 2. Said lock 1 is of the usual well-known construction, having a bolt that is moved by said key 2. if

oving said key in one direction throws said movable contact 4 of the lock into contact with the said fixed contact 5,while moving said key in the opposite direction breaks the contact between said parts 1 and 5. It

should be explained that the said lock-casing 1 is insulated.from the automobile frame; also that the curved line which is shown upon the interior of thelock, in Fig.

2, designates a common lock-spring that is used in returning the said movable contactdevice 4 to its normal position, and in retaining. same thereat, after said contactdevice has been moved into contact with the said fixed contact 5. i

The boltof the lock, above referred to, is not necessarily the said movable contactdevice 4;,as many well-known locks can be used with bolts and other parts intact; but the said contact-device should, of course, be applied to such looks as an addition to them.

In the presentform. of my invention, I.

fix' the twomovable-contacts 8 in aspecial sector-plate 14:, attached to the usual sectorplate 15 by means of screws or bolts 16.

Said contacts 8 are insulated from said sector-plates 14 and 15, and from each other,

by means of insulating-tubes 17 having a shoulder'or flange 18 upon the interior of V the end that is nearest the said lever 10, and set in suitable holes bored in the said sectorplates;

A head of flange 19 upon the outer end of. each of said contacts 8 prevents said contacts frombeing pushed too far within said tubes, while a shoulder or flange 20 on the inner portion of said contacts limits the outward movement of said contacts.

Behind each of said contacts 8, within said tubes 17, is a suitable spring 21, the outer ends of which are in contact with the lieu.

inner ends of said contacts, while the opposite ends of said springs rest against a fixed part or stop 22.

The said fixed part 22 is made of metal, and is in circuit with the said movableeontacts 8 through said springs 21.

One terminal of said wires 7 is connected to one of the said fixed parts 22, so that the movable-contact S of that fixed part will be in circuit.

The other one of the movable-contacts S (which is above or below the one lastmentioued) also has its fixed part 22 connected to one terminal of one of said wires 7, so that both of said movable-contacts will be in circuit with the said loclcc asing 1, the battery 6, the two movable-contacts S on the lnalcelever sector, and with the said alarm-device 11.

The said casing 1 of the owners lock, the batteries 6, and the said bell 11, are preferably concealed under the cowl or hood of the automobile,

A strong hardened-steel tube, or flexible metallic-cover 23, is used to protect the said wires 7 in their passage from the aaits under the cowl or hood to the sector plate l t and the sector-plate 15, said wires passing through said tube, as shown in Fig. 1, and said tube having a flange 24 on the end which is attached to said sector-plate 15.

Said flange 21+ is fixed to said sectorplate 15 by means of rivets or screws 25.

By thus locating said wires 7 in said tube 23', the wires are protected against cutting or breaking by a thief, so that in order to out or break said wires it will be necessary for the thief to use a hammer in breaking or removing said tube, which will attract attention by the sound of the blows of said hammer, and the thief will probably be thereby detected in his nefarious work.

The operation.

with the parts in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the forward. movement of the brake-lever 10, (which must be made) in releasing the brakes of the car, will. bring said lever directly opposite and simultaneously in contact with the heads of the two vertically-aligned movable-contacts 8, which will close the circuit through said. lever, and an alarm will. be soimded as long" as said lever is in a thrown-oil position, or until the owner inserts his key 2 in the lock-casing 1 and moves said key to such a position as will break the circuit between said movable contact 4 of said. lock-casing and said fixed contact 5, after which the owner, or any authorized person, may drive the car without sounding an alarm. The said brake-lever 10 cannot fail to close the circuit between the said two verticallyaligned contacts 8 during the movement of said lever from a brakes-applied to a brakesreleased position, inasmuch as both of said contacts are normally in the path of said lever.

I claim An improved brake-lever circuit-closer for automobile theft signals, comprising a sector-plate; insulating-tubes embedded in said sector-plate and arranged one above the other; movable contacts carried by said sector-plate in said tubes; a head or flange upon the outer portion of said contacts to prevent said contacts from being pushed too far within said tubes; a shoulder or flange on the inner portion of said contacts to limit the outward movement of the said contacts; springs in said tubes for transmitting current to said contacts, and urging the latter outwardly; and a brake-lever adapted to contact with the said contacts in said sector-plate simultaneously, substantially as described,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANA S. LEE. lVitnesses:

IDA PHILLrrs, JOHN C. HIGDON. 

